Cleaning device with interchangeable head



Nov. 3, 1970 LELAND 3,537,123

CLEANING DEVICE WITH INTERCHANGEABLE HEAD Filed Aug. 16, 1968 2Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1.

IN VEN TOR. P46/V/44L0 6. 4 4 A/VO,

R. G. LELAND CLEANING DEVICE WITH INTERCHANGEABLE HEAD Filed Aug. 16,1968 Nov. 3, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 7."

FIG. 8.

INVENTOR. 246N144; .0 G. 4 E4 4N0,

United States Patent 3,537,123 CLEANING DEVICE WITH INTER- CHANGEABLEHEAD Ragnvald G. Leland, 2334 W. 241st St.,

- Lomita, Calif. 90717 Filed Aug. 16, 1968, Ser. No. 753,246 Int. Cl.A471 13/256, 13/257, 1/08 US. Cl. 15244 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A cleaning device having an interchangeable head comprisinghandle means and pad means and means for detachably connecting a pad tothe pad means, including holding member for holding a pad attached tothe pad means until the holding member is released so as to reease thepad from the pad means, and further including squeegee means.

The present invention relates to a cleaning device having aninterchangeable head and more particularly to a device such as a wax padapplicator.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple andsturdily constructed wax pad having a pad means and a handle meansdisposable or interchangeable pad means for attachment to the pad meansand holding means to maintain the disposable pad secured to the padmeans until it is desired to remove the pad therefrom for cleansing orreplacement by another pad.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning devicehaving a plate means and biasing means for detachably connecting to theplate means a cleansing member or a pad member.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a cleaningdevice with a plate means for window cleaning or waxing and the like inwhich a disposable member can be readily attached to the pad means whichnormally holds the cleansing member by a resilient biasmg means.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaningdevice such as a wax pad applicator and the like with handle means andmeans for preventing inadvertent detachment of the handle means from thepad means.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a cleaningdevice having an interchangeable head member or cleansing member whichcan be readily attached to or detached from the plate means whichcarries the head member and which can further be provided with squeegeemeans that can be readily attached or detached from the pad means thatcarries the cleansing member.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention will bereadily apparent from the following detailed description when consideredin connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, andin which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cleaning device embodying the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the lines 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective detailed view illustrating a disposable ordetachable cleaning head or member that is attached to the plate meansof the device;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the biasing means embodied in thepresent invention for holding the cleansing member secured to the padmeans or plates means of the device;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the cleaning device embodying the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a modification of the invention shown inFIGS. 1 to 5;

3,537,123 Patented Nov. 3, 1970 FIG. 7 is a section taken along thelines 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the embodiment of the invention shown inFIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 6, but illustrating asqueegee member embodied in the present invention attached to thecleaning device;

FIG. 10 is a perspective detailed view of the squeegee member shown inFIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of another embodiment of the invention, similarto that shown in FIGS. 1 to 5; and

FIG. 12 is a side view of the invention shown in FIG. 11.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 generally designatesthe cleaning device of the present invention and is provided with asubstantially flat rectangular plate member 12 having its oppositelongitudinal sides 14 bent upwardly and inwardly so that the upperin-turned rims 16 face each other, as best seen in FIG. 2. It will benoted that the longitudinal sides 14 are of the same configuration, butdisposed in opposite directions, or facing each other.

One of the longtiudinal sides 14 is provided with a slot 18 in thecentral portion thereof, as best seen in FIG. 1.

The central midportion of the plate member 12 is provided with a sleeveor cylindrical open end tube 20 for receiving a handle 22 therein.

The handle means 22 is provided with a short cylin drical or bar section24 that is disposed at right angles with the main portion of the handleand this short portion 24 is the portion that extends into the sleeve ortube 20.

The in-turned rims 16 are provided with a plurality of serrations orteeth 26, as best seen in FIG. 5, for gripping a pad or disposable sheetof cleansing or wiping material 28.

The plate member 12 is further provided with a pair of spacedsemi-circular wing members 30, which wing members are spaced inalignment with the sleeve 20 and spaced apart therefrom, as best seen inFIG. 1.

The cleaning device is further provided with a biasing member in theform of a spring 32. The wire spring 32 has a in-turned section 34comprising two legs 36 which converge toward each other and which have asemi-circular ring or loop 38 connecting the inner ends of the legs. Thelegs 36 have their outer ends bent back so as to form two elongatedparallel legs 40. The spring wire member 32, as best seen in FIG. 1, isadapted to have its loop portion 38 disposed over the sleeve 20 and itslegs 40 adapted to be disposed within the confines of the sides 14 ofthe plate member 12 and below the rims 16, as best illustrated in FIG.2, in order to properly secure a sheet 28 of material to the plate foruse in waxing a floor or cleaning a window or for whatever use may bedesired in connection with the cleaning device of the present invention.In operation, the handle 22 is first attached to the plate member 12 bypushing the short section 24 between the semi-circular wing members 30,best shown in dotted lines in FIG. 5, so as to spread the wing portions30 apart. Thereafter the section 24 is inserted all the way through thesleeve 20 and the wing members 30 prevent the handle 22 from becominginadvertently detached from the plate member 12. Thereafter, the sheetof material, which may be used for a waxing pad or a cleansing pad, andwhich sheet of material may be made of any desired material, such as acloth, or a paper material, is then detachably connected to the platemember 12 by inserting its opposite ends under the rims 16 so they aregripped by the teeth 26.

It will be noted that the sheet of material 28 is provided with slits 42therein which has one of the slits 42 in alignment with the slot 18 whenthe sheet of material has been attached to the plate member so that theslit 3 42 will coincide with the slot 18 and permit the handle to beeasily passed through the slot 18.

After the sheet of material 28 has been disposed in a position withitsopposite edges tucked under the rim 16, the spring member 32 is thenpositioned over the plate member 12 so that its loop 38 will rest on theouter surface of the sleeve 20 and its resilient legs 40 will be clampedagainst the opposite edges of the sheet of material 28. and securelyhold the sheet of material 28 in its proper position on the plate member12,as best illustratedinFIG. 2.

Referring to the embodiment. of the invention illustrated in'FIGS. 6 to10, this modification is substantially the same as that described inconnection with the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1to except that the cleaning device is provided with a different type ofholding member 46, instead of thespring biasing holding member 32 in theother embodiment.

In this embodiment of the invention, the holding member '46 comprises asubstantially flat resilient plate member with a central semi-circulargroove or detent 48 extending the full length of the rectangular plate46 and the handle sleeve holding member 50 is secured in this groove 48.

In securing a sheet of material 28 to the plate member 12 forming thepad means of this embodiment of the invention, the holding'member 46,after the sheet 28 has been placed or wrapped around the plate member12, as described in connection with FIG. 1, is pressed against the uppersurface of the plate member 12. The plate member 46 is provided with acatch 52 which will go under one of the rims 16 and sides 14 of theplate member 12. To release the plate holding member 46 from the platemember 12, it is only necessary to press the i holding member 46 at theportion 54 which is adjacent the slotted 'portion'56 in the plate 46,'asbest seen in FIG. 8.

It will also be noted that this embodiment of the invention 'may beprovided with an upstanding squeegee 58,'if desired, which may besuitably secured to the holde ing plate member 46 by any suitable andwell known with a large transverse slot 66 which is adjacent a longi- Itudinal narrow slot 68.

This squeegee is attached 'to the plate 12 by sliding the squeegee 60onto the plate,12 so that the sleeve is positioned within the narrowslot 68.

Thus, this embodiment of the invention provides a W detachable squeegee'60 and the positioning of the squeegee 60 over the sleeve 50 preventsthe handle 22 from inadvertently becoming detached. from its'platemember 12 which forms the pad means for attachment of the sheet ofmaterial thereto.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention shown 7 in FIGS. ,11 and12, this is' substantially as that described in connection with FIGS. 1to 5, except that the plate member 12 has the wing members 30 spacedmuchcloser to the sleeve or tube 24. The sleeve or tube 24is provided atits'end adjacent the wings-30 with a slot 72 cut out of the 'end of thesleeve or tube 20. The slot 72 is formed between two upstanding portions74 of the sleeve 20 l asbest seen in FIG; 12.

It will be noted that this embodiment of the invention is provided witha substantially deep sponge layer of material 76 for cleaning purposesor the like.

When the deep or heavy sponge is utilized on the device, or a deep broomsection is used for pushing dirt on streets or the like, this typeofconstruction would pivot or roll unless the structure set forth inFIGS. 11 and 12 is utilized to prevent the handle from pivoting. Thestructure of the sleeve with the cut-out therein will hold the handle inthe correct angle for this type of a heavy padding member under theplate member 12.

Thus, from the foregoing description of the present invention, it isapparent that the cleaning device of the present invention provides acompact and simple structure which has biasing means in the form of awire spring or a plate means for securely connecting a disposable orremovable pad member to the head or the pad means .of a cleaning device.

Inasmuch as various changes may be made in the relative arrangement andlocation of the parts of the invention, it is not meant to limit thescope of the invention, except by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cleaning device comprising a flat plate with opposite side edgesupturned in diagonal upward portions extending toward each other andterminating in horizontal rims facing each other, onenof said side edgeshaving a slot in its central portion, said plate being provided with asleeve secured to its upper surface, a flexible piece of cleaningmaterial detachably secured to said flat plate and having slits thereindisposed in alignment with said slot, resilient holding meansoperatively connected to said plate releasably securing said flexiblepiece of material thereto, and handle means pivotally connected to saidflat plate, said handle means being a rod with a short section extendinginto said sleeve, and spaced resilient wings provided on said plate inalignment with said sleeve and spaced therefrom to prevent said shortsection of the handle rod from inadvertentlyv coming out of said sleeve.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said holding means is a wire springmember with a loop fitting over said sleeve and inner legs convergingtoward said loop and outer parallel legs biased toward said diagonalside portions.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein slot means are cut out of one end ofsaid sleeve forming upstanding portions, and said handle rod is disposedbetween said upstanding portions to prevent the handle rod frompivoting.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein 'said cleaning material is a piece ofsponge having substantial depth.

References Cited DANIEL BLUM, Primary Examiner US. 01. X.R. 15-121, 144,232

